Omaha daily bee., 1887-11-20
DID A CURSE REST UPON HIM D.?
The Strange Tricks Nature Played at
the Home Of Jas. 0. Stevenson.
A FAMILY OF CURIOUS FREAKS.
A Three-Legged Lamb, a One-Eared
Colt, a Threc-HOrncd Calf, and a
One-Lcggcd Boy-A Supply
for Dime Museum.

"The old adage that ''lightning never
last disproven, providing the story of a
farm laborer named George Evans, who
for the past week has been staying at
the st. James hotel in this city, is true.
Evans bears the reputation of honesty,
and while his tale is a strange one,
there is no reason to doubt its possibil-
ity. His story is as follows:
Evans stated last night to a BEE re-
uorter that for the past three years he
has been employed by Mr.. james Q.
Stevenson, a well-to-dO farmer living in
Iowa, about seventeen miles south of
Council Bluffs. During that time nature
has dealt unliindly with his former
employer, and the rules of generation
have been most culpably disobeycd in
asmucn as no less than four freaks and
possible candidates for dime museum
fame, have first drawn breath on his
farm. During the spring of 1885 IA lamb
was born having only three legs. 1t
was healthy animal and straightway
became great favorite with Mr.. Steven
sons children and was given the ex-
aulted position of the family pet by
unanimous consent. The animal, now a
full grown sheep, hobbies around on his
two front and one hind leg in state of
perpetual enjoyment. Even his wool,
up to the present time. has been con-
sidered sacred and he will not be
sheared until he is three years of age.
During the following summer a grey
mare was delivered of foal, we'll
formed with the exception that nature
had forgotten to supply her with but
one ear. The hide one the right side
of the head was as smootly drawn as on
the body and there was no hole to even
mark the spot where that ear should be.
While this coincidence was the subject
of considerable remark in the neighbor-
hood, nothing particular evolved from it
except the giving of a nickname to Mr..
Stevenson, who to this day is known by
the sobrioquet of lone Limbcd Steve.n
But the superstitiously inclined, in the
neighborhoOd found renewed cause dur
ing the following fall, for announcing
their belief that curse rested upon the
house of Stevenson. This new fire brand
which caused the idiOtic wisdom of be-
levers in things supernatural, to loudly
| explode and added many new converts
| to their ranks, was the birth of calf
| during the spring of the present year
which shortly after developed into II
freak of the first magnitude
| by the discovery that it had
three distinct horns. The third
| horn was exactly in the middle of the
forehead and grew just below the eyes.
After time the gossip subsidized, but a
new impetus was given to scandal
mOngers eight weeks ago, to continue
them in their previous opinions and
openly expressed belief in the interfer-
! ence of supernatural powers to cause
their neighbor humiliation and suffer-
ing. This event was nothing more nor
less than the birth of male infant
having but one leg. The child lived
| but a few hours and was buried on the
farm. The tongues of the gossips wagged
furiously, and it was even intimated
that Mr.. Stevenson was receiving pun
ishment at the hands of God for crimes
committed in the past. Finally one old
tea table gossip felt herself called upon
to inform "Sister Stevenson that a
curse rested upon the home OF
her husband, and so worked upon
the fears of the lady, who was in
Il most delicate state Of health, as to